“We anticipate, if everything is approved as proposed, it would cost us about $37 million over the next four years,” he said.

Torrens said that’s a significant amount of money from the district’s operating budget. He said it’s the same pot used to pay teachers and employees.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools unanimously opposed the proposed rate increase at its school board meeting Wednesday.

“Our bills right now are $40 lower than the average bill in the nation,” FPL spokeswoman Sara Gatewood said.

She said if the requested rate hike is approved, FPL believes bills in 2020 will still be less than they were 10 years ago. She said the money is needed to strengthen FPL’s grid against future storms, as well as for infrastructure and investments.